Process for the extraction of mineral salts and organic constituents of kelp.



v A. G. ARTZ.

PROCESS FOR THE EXTRACTION 0F MINERAL SALTS AND ORGANIC CONSTITUE NTS 0F -KELP..

' APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1913.

I 1,136,390. Patented Apr.-20,1915.

v wrrmassms= I XNVEN TOR KJKe 4Z4 UNELTE' snails .ADOLPHE G. ARTZ, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL ASSIGNMENTS, 'IO KELP PRODUCTS COT fiORPORA'IION OF CALIFORNIA.

ru-ocnss sou run EXTRACTION or MINERAL sat re KEEP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPHE Gr. Airrz, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Fracisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes for the Extraction of Mineral Salts and Organic Constituents of Kelp, of which the following is a specificatio Y This process relates to a direct lixiviation process or a direct separation and solution of the different constituents of kelp or sea- Weedwhile in the raw or harvested state.

The object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby the raw or undried kelp, as it comes fresh from the sea, may be immediately treated and separated into its. various mineral and organic con'- stituents without drying, burning, charring, or the addition of water for leaching purposes.

Having reference to the accompanying drawing-the drawing is a diagrammatic View of the apparatus employed.

Referring to the drawing it will be. seen that the kelp is first passed through a series of pressure rollers or equivalent means indicated at 2, Where the greater part of the water or juices, together with the several mineral salts and organic compounds held in solution, are separated from the solid matter, which latter consists mostly of in-' soluble organic matter. The expressed liquid is then collected in a tank 3, while the solid material is fed into a series of disintegrating or macerating rollers 3 where it is thoroughly workedinto a pulp. The solid matter in the form of a pulp is then convat or tank, indicated at 5, where it is boile from four to six hours in an alkaline carbonate solution; The algin or alginic acid, together with the soluble salts which were not extracted by pressure, are thus thoroughly dissolved, leaving a residue of cellulose or cellulose-like material WlllCll'lS removed from the tank or boiling vat by suitable means, as a screen belt 5.

This conveys the pulp to a pair of compression rollers 6, Where all the liquid andmoistureis removed; the liquid being returned to the tank while the pulp is dischargedfrom the pressure rollers as a high-grade eel- IEORNIA,

Specification of Letters ?atent OIELEEANIG CONSTITUENTS 0F 'SSIGNGR, 33h DIRECT AND IvlEiEll'lll EI ANY, Ole 3A1)? FRANCISCO, CALIFORNLQ, A

Apr, no, 14 1315. I Application filed March 10, 1913. Serial Ha rt-aces. I

lulose which very adaptable for the paper industry.

The alkaline solution contained in the 'hoiling vat 5 is elitained from one or the other of a pair of tanks indicated at 7 and and 8, after the liquid contained in same has the best results are'ohtained with acid of specific gravity 1.06. ever, is subject to variations when treating different varieties oi kelp; the proportion changing according tothe alginic contents of the help. As before described, sulfuric acid of specific gravity 1.06 is added to the solution contained in one or the other of the tanks 7 and 8 til the algin has been thoroughly tated. The contents is then filtere ing passed through the filter 9, Where the algin is separated from the liquid, being at terward washed and dried, while the remaining liquid is again returned to one. or the other of the tanks '3' or 8 Where powdered carbonate of lime is added until all free acid is neutralized, which point is reached when effervescence is no longer produced. To this liquid is now added fifteen pounds of so dium carbonate for every lons oi liquid" This liquid is then conveyed to the boiling tank or vat 5 and is used as a solvent for the purpose of dissolving any 'of the mineral salts or hrganic compounds remaining in the pulp. The boiling vat 5 is of considerable length, the length varying according to the capacity of the plant, being" in most instances from one hundred to two hundred feet.

The pulp delivered to the from the and allowed to'remain use.

by he:

onehundred gal- The quantity, liovv-.

the tank to the screen belt 6 averages about 'six l'iours. The solution contained in the boiling vat is gradually concentrated by evaporation. It therefore becomes neces- 5 sary at certain time intervals to remove the liquid, as it would soon become so concentrated as to crystallize and deposit salts in the outgoing pulp. The concentrated liquid contained in the boiling vat is then returned to one or the other of the tanks 7 or 8 where it is again treated by the addition of sulfuric acid, a sufficient amount being added to precipitate the algin absorbed in the boiling vat. The solution is then passed through the filter 9 to separate the algin, while the remaining liquid is conveyed to a'tank where the free acid is neutralized by the addition of sodium or potassium carbonate. The

highly concentrated solution is then conveyed to an evaporating tank 10, of the usual type, where the various salts, such as potassium sulfate, sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium chlorid, sodium iodid, are removed by the usual manner of evaporation. The boilin vat is again su' plied with a new charge 0 alkaline solution obtained from one or the j ,other of the tanks 7 or 8. The process is thus continuous and may be operated indefi- .nitely withoirtttoppmg; the various tanks shown being-provided for thepurpose of conducting the diitercnt steps of the process so as not 'to interfere with the'continuous operation of the apparatus. By referring to the drawings, and in par ticular to the reference numeral 12, it .will,

be seen that a pump is provided for the purpose of continuously forcin a portion of the alkaline solution throug the macerating rollers, as it has been found that the'addition of a small amount of liquid will Tma-.

terially assist the macerating process.) The heatin of the boiling vat 5, together with the fina evaporating tank,.may be ac-- I complished in any sultable mariner, but preferably by the steam heating' system here shown.

By treating kelp with the'process describedpractically everything is saved, ilhe great loss of salts by efilorescence is en tirely eliminated as the kelpis never givenan opportunity to dry and by eliminating burning or eharrlng it becomes possible-to save all the algin and cellulose contained in.

5 same. I

' Having thus described myinvention, what I'claim and desire to secure by Letters Pateat is j 1. I The continuous process of treating raw f 'kelp, which consists in subjecting the raw,

fresh kelp to pressure to remove. the ex-' prressible liquids, then removing the 'algin' om the expressed liquid, then maceratmg the remaining solids and treating said solids .65 with said liquid during maceration, after the algin has been removed, to extract the remaining algin and salts, and then boiling in a vat for several hours and constantly removing the cellulose from said vat.

2. The continuous process of treating raw kelp, which consists in subjecting the raw, fresh kelp to pressure to remove the expressible liquids and leave the solids; then treatcipitated.

3. The continuous process of treating raw kelp, which consists in subjecting the raw,

fresh kelp to pressure to remove the expressible liquids and leave a pulp; then treatingtheexpressed juice with sulfuric acid to precipitate the algin; neutralizing. the liquid separated from the .precipitated al in with carbonate of lime; rendering said. n utralized liquid alkaline with alkaline metal carbonate; then disintegrating the.

pulp, and treating said disintegrated pulpv of extracting the therein remaining algin and soluble salts'a'nd continuously removing the cellulose freed during such treatment.

4. The continuous process of treating raw 1 kelp whichconsists in subjecting the kelp to pressure to separate the liquid contents from the solid organic matter, collectlng the expressed liquid, treating the expressed liquid with a solution of sulfuric acid to precipis tate the 'algin contained in the liquid, separating the algin from the liquid by filtration, addingsufi'icientcarbonate of lime to a the liquids to neutralize the acid, and evaporating the same to remove the salts.

5 The continuous process of treating raw kelp for-the purpose of separating it into its various mineral and organic constituents which cons sts in subjecting the kelp to pressure to 'separate the liquid contents front-the solid organic structure, collecting the exire pressed liquids separately from the solids,

treating the collected liquid with a solution of sulfuric-acid to precipitate the algin con- 'tained rin the-liquid, separating the algin -froinjthe liquid by filtration, adding suf ficient carbonate of. lime to neutralize the acid, then addin 'five to fifteen pounds per one hundred gallons of sodium' carbonate, macerating the solids to a pulp, treating the rec solids with said liquidduring maceration,

boiling the pulp for approximately six hours in the sodium carbonate solution before obtained to further extract algin and soluble salts contained in the pulp, separating, the-'- 95 with the last named liquidfor the purpose i In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwo subscribing 10 witnesses.

ADOLPHE G. ARTZ.

Witnesses:

V. W. HEALEY, T

ZOE HARRISON. 

